Did Chris Christie destroy Mitt Romney's new message of bipartisanship?
In the final days of the race, Romney is stressing his bipartisan credentials. But Christie's embrace of President Obama is proof that Obama can work across the aisle

Mitt Romney "once delivered partisan-tinged zingers about how President Obama takes inspiration from socialist Democrats in Europe," says Michael Barbaro at The New York Times. "There are no such traces of such barbs in the dwindling days of the race," as the GOP candidate "promises to make personal outreach to the rival party a signature of a Romney presidency." The new approach appears to be paying dividends: 47 percent of voters think Romney has a better chance of breaking Congress' partisan gridlock, compared with 37 percent for Obama, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll. David Brooks at The New York Times said Romney's flip-flopping would facilitate deal-making, while The Des Moines Register and The Orlando Sentinel both endorsed Romney, arguing that bipartisan reform would be impossible under Obama because of Republican opposition in the House.
The notion that Romney would be a more successfully bipartisan president naturally infuriates liberal commentators. Rewarding Romney for Obama's stifled attempts to reach across the aisle could set a dangerous precedent, says Ezra Klein at The Washington Post:
Obama ran for president promising to break the gridlock and overcome the partisanship that paralyzes Washington. But it wasn’t up to him. The minority won’t cooperate with the majority unless they see it’s in their interests. And the Republican minority didn’t see it that way...
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
These [newspaper] endorsements are proving Republicans right. As they show, the Republican strategy to deny the president any cooperation and make his Washington a depressing and dysfunctional place has done Obama enormous political damage. In that way, the endorsements get the situation backwards.
However, Romney's new aura of bipartisanship may have been struck a blow this week, after Republican Governor Chris Christie, a top Romney supporter, showered Obama with effusive praise for his response to Hurricane Sandy. On Wednesday, Obama and Christie toured stricken areas of New Jersey together, held joint conferences, and appeared to genuinely appreciate each other's cooperation. That visceral picture of bipartisanship, splashed across cable news channels, could hurt Romney, says Mark Halperin at TIME:
What was Mitt Romney’s closing argument? I can work across the aisle. This President has a four year record of failure, doesn’t know how to work with the other side. The symbolism of, with Chris Christie, working across the aisle, getting things done, it goes right to the heart of how Mitt Romney wanted to close this election.
Furthermore, a closer look at Romney's proposals suggests that a Romney presidency is unlikely to usher in a new era of bipartisan comity, say Jake Sherman and James Hohmann at Politico:
The likelihood of Romney and [Paul] Ryan locking arms with "good Democrats," as Romney put it this week, to solve the nation’s problems is dubious given the GOP nominee’s legislative priorities...
If Romney makes good on his pledge to roll back the health care overhaul — which he almost certainly must in some way given his insistent campaign rhetoric and likely pressure from conservatives — that will hardly foster the bipartisan atmosphere that Romney has recently lauded.
Repealing the law is a "red line" for most Democrats.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Gaza is running out of cash
Under The Radar Palestinians pay the price as black market springs up around banknotes and coins
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Law firms: Caving to White House pressure
Feature Trump targets major law firms tied to his past investigations
By The Week US Published
-
Venezuelan deportees: Locked up for tattoos?
Feature A former pro soccer player was deported after U.S. authorities claimed his tattoo proved he belonged to a Venezuelan gang
By The Week US Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: who are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published